Accor has signed to add a hotel under its luxury Sofitel brand, in the Italian port city of Genoa.
The Sofitel Genoa Waterfront will make the most of the city’s coastal location, blending modern design by Renzo Piano Building Workshop with Genoa’s maritime heritage. The 120 room property will have panoramic views across the water, and is expected to open in 2027.
A waterfront location, a nautical theme
Italian developer AG Group will be responsible for delivering the hotel, which will sit within the larger Waterfront di Levante project being created by Orion and CDS Holding. The hotel will feature an all day restaurant, lounge and pool bars, and a swimming pool for guests.
For AG Group, the Sofitel in Genoa is another opportunity to partner with Accor. Over more than 20 years, the company has completed many high end property projects in Rome and other Italian cities, working alongside global brands. Currently AG’s hotels division is working on no less than three Italian hotel developments which will join Accor’s Emblems Collection on completion.
For the city itself, the hotel will be one of very few internationally branded properties, coming into a local market still dominated by local, family owned hotels. “Italy is one of Sofitel’s most important markets in Southern Europe, and the opening of Sofitel Genoa Waterfront marks a milestone in our growth strategy, after the success of Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese,” said Maud Bailly, Accor’s CEO for the Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands.
The new hotel in Genoa will join a pipeline of luxury hotel openings in Italy, planned by the Accor group. It recently opened the first ever Orient Express branded hotel, in Rome, and is planning a second property for the train-linked flag, in Venice. Orient Express Palazzo Dona Giovannelli will be created from a building dating back to 1400, and will open in 2026.
Elsewhere, the luxury Raffles brand is set to make its first appearance in the country, with Raffles Lake Como expected to open in 2027. An exclusive luxury haven, it will feature an extensive lake frontage, with private beach bar accessed through a historic tunnel.
In Rome, the Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese is undergoing a refresh, to ensure it delivers the standards expected by Sofitel guests. The property is set in a 19th century palazzo, adding history to every guest experience.
Building the Accor portfolio in Italy
Also growing in Italy is Accor’s Emblems Collection, with four properties set to join the collection brand with openings and relaunches in 2026. These include the Hotel Bellevue in Cortina d’Ampezzo, an 80 room luxury ski chalet in a destination popular with winter sports lovers, and summer hikers alike.
In Siena, the 38 room Palazzo Sozzini Malavolti will be adding to Emblems, along with the Relais San Clemente in Umbria. And, deep within the fig orchards of Apulia, guests will be able to enjoy an Emblems welcome at Masseria Furnirussi.
